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BANNER'S 



POCKET GUIDE BOOK 



BATTLEFIELD OF GETTYSBURG 



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HISTORY OF THE BATTLE. 



WITH MAP. 



FOR SALE AT FOR SALE AT 

J. A. Banner's Battlefield Museum, W. H. Tipton's Photograph Gallery, 

No. 23 Baltimore St. No. 5 Chambersburg St. 

J. E. Wible steam printer, 2d square Carlisle street, Gettysburg. 






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A SKETCH OF THE BATTLE. 

P^N June, 1863, the army of Northern Virginia, divided into three corps 
^^Sfunder Longstreet, Ewell, and A. P. Hill, commanded by General Lee, 
^crossed the Potomac at Williamsport and Shepherdstown and marched 
] into Pennsylvania ; a part going as far as CarHsle, the remainder halt- 
ing at Chambersburg. The Union army, under General Hooker, had in 
the meantime crossed the river at Edwards Ferry and headed towards 
Frederick City, Md. On June 27th, Hooker having been refused the use 
of some ten thousand men then not needed at Harper's Ferry tended his 
resignation, which was accepted — General Meade succeeding to the com- 
mand. 

On the morning of July ist. Hill, whose corps was in the advance six 
miles from Gettysburg, learned that Gettysburg was occupied by a Union 
force. Sending back to urge Longstreet to hasten his march, he moved 
on. In the meanwhile, Reynolds, who was in command of that portion of 
the Union army, had sent out a cavalry reconnoissance, and the forces 
came into coUision about two miles north-west of Gettysburg. Reynolds 
sent infantry to the support of his cavalry, and the action opened. He 
was killed in the opening of the action. At first the Union forces were su- 
perior, and they gained decided advantages ; but in a few hours nearly the 
whole of Hill's corps came up from Chambersburg, and Ewell's from Car- 
lisle, both numbering about 50,000, while their opponents were less than 
half as many. The Union forces were driven back through Gettysburg. 
Until the town was reached the retirement was comparatively deliberate 
and orderly ; but wlien arrived there, being huddled in the narrow streets 
subjected to a rapid fire from batteries which raked them, and the enemy's 
swarming infantry intent on their destruction or capture, the men fell into 
confusion. Their officers strove to save them by ordering them into the 
cross alleys. But this only added to the confusion, the men either not 
understanding the commands, or hoping to escape the fire of the foe, and 
over i,2Qo were made prisoners in less than twenty minutes. The remain- 



der took up a strong position on Cemetery Hill, just south of town, 
close to the village cemetery, from which the hill and ridge were named. 
General Hancock had been sent forward and rallied the troops, taking 
command until General Meade arrived, late in the evening. 

During the night most of the remainder of the Union army arrived on 
the field ; the centre of the line of the Second corps passing through the 
cemetery where the soldiers who had fought through the day were sleeping 
amid the graves. Early in the morning the bulk of the two armies was in 
position, that of the Union being posted on Cemetery Ridge from Round 
Top to Culp's Hill. Including the cavalry upon the two flanks the line 
was over five miles long. The Confederates were just opposite on Semi- 
nary Ridge with their left bent round through the town to the foot of Culp's 
Hill ; the length of their line being more than five miles. The forces 
present were nearly equal ; each numbering from 70,000 to 80,000 infantry 
and artillery. Meade had intended that his line should be posted, on the 
ridge directly between Round Top and Cemetery Hill. But this ridge, in 
the centre where Sickles was placed, is comparatively low, sinking down 
into a valley a few hundred yards wide, beyond which rises another wooded 
crest running diagonally to the former, and Sickles supposed this to be 
the one which he was to occupy. When the error was discovered there 
was no time to correct it, and Meade decided to support him in his present 
position, although it left an unoccupied space" between him and Round 
Top. As it happened. Hood's division of Longstreet's corps struck this 
opening. Moreover, Little Round Top had been left unoccupied, and this 
was the key to the entire Union position. The Confederates perceived this 
and began to swarm up its rugged sides. But, just in time, General War- 
ren, an engineer, discovered the error and brought up a few regiments. 
They reached the summit ahead of the enemy, and drove them back. 
From this until midnight, an unsuccessful effort was made to take the hill. 
In the meantime the remainder of Longstreet's corps was pressing fiercely 
upon Sickles, who was soon borne from the field with his leg shattered. 
His corps m.ade a stubborn resistance, but was forced back until it reached 



the ground 1 e should have occupied, where a new Hne was formed. The 
Confederates charged this, but were met with a fire from which they recoiled. 
Hancock, who now commanded the centre, ordered a counter-charge, by 
which the enemy were compelled to retreat to the ridge previously occu- 
pied by Sickles, which they continued to hold. The withdrawal of troops 
from Gulp's Hill to support Sickles and Hancock, enabled Ewell to get 
within the Union entrenchments at that point. 

At day-break on Friday, Ewell was forced from the foothold he had 
gained the previous day. The remainder of the morning was spent in 
preparation. Seminary ridge formed an admirable position for the Con- 
federate artillery, and here, directly in front of the Union line, they planted 
150 guns. At about one o'clock the enemy, having perfected all his plans, 
made the attack. Silence, for more than two hours, had reigned, when, of 
a sudden, 1 50 guns were run to the front. For an instant the air was filled 
with a hissing, bursting, fiery cloud, and a torrent descended on its death- 
dealing mission upon the long lines of men crouched below. An equal 
number of Union guns made fitting reply. Notwithstanding every pre- 
caution had been taken to shelter the Union troops, the destruction was 
terrible. Men were torn limb from limb, and blown to atoms. In the 
neighborhood of Meade's headquarters the shells were exploding at the 
rate of six in a second. After two hours the firing ceased ; and Lee, sup- 
posing that the Union batteries had been silenced and that the infantry 
were demoralized, ordered the grand attack of the day. The attacking 
column numbered about eighteen thousand men, the most of whom were 
Virginia veterans who had as yet not been engaged, Lee had intended 
to advance his artillery to support his infantry, but found at the last mo- 
ment that his ammunition was nearly exhausted and there was no time to 
replenish it. The column moved swiftly down the slope and across the 
plain ; all the Union batteries open upon them, plowing great furrows 
through their hues which were closed as fast as made ; still they pressed 
on until one brigade was within three hundred yards of Hancock's line, 
which had reserved its fire. In five minutes the whole brigade was stream- 
ing back in wild disorder. 



The other division marched on- until it reached Gibbon's front hne 
thinly posted behind a low stone wall ; they charged straight over this 
among the Federal batteries, and for a quarter of an hour there was a 
struggle with pistols and clubbed muskets. Confederate flags waved 
upon the wall within the Union hne. The Union troops hurried from all 
sides and drove them back down the slope, which was completely covered 
by musketry and artillery ; to advance, retreat or stand sdll was alike im- 
possible ; the men flung themselves on the ground holding up their hands 
in token of surrender. In the few moments during which the contest 
lasted, by far the greater part of that gallant division had disappeared. 
Four thousand five hundred of them were prisoners, many more were 
wounded, and a vast number dead. 

During the night Lee concentrated his force behind the crest of Semi- 
nary Ridge, probably expecting an attack. In the morning Meade called 
a council of war, at which it was decided to "remain a day and await the 
development of the enemy's plan." Before night a heavy storm had set 
in, under cover of which Lee began his retreat towards the Potomac, leav- 
ing a strong rear guard to defend the passes through the mountains. The 
tram was seventeen miles long when drawn out on the road, and from ev- 
ery wagon issued wails of agony. Very few of the wounded had received 
adequate surgical aid ; many had been without food for thirty-six hours, 
and many were going rapidly in wagons without springs, through a moun- 
tainous country. He reached the river, 40 miles distant on the 7th, the 
stream, which he had crossed almost dry-shod a fortnight before, was now 
swollen by unusually heavy rains, and unfordable. A bridge which he 
had flung across had been destroyed by a cavalry dash from Harpers 
Ferry, and he had no alternative but to entrench himself and await an at- 
tack or the falling of the waters. Meade advanced slowly by a much 
longer route, and on the 12th came in front of the Confederate entrench- 
ments. He called a council of war, which, against his opinion, voted to 
postpone the attack until reconnoissance had been made. On the evening 
of the 13th an order was issued for an advance the next morning, but when 



5 

day broke the enemy had disappeared. A shght bridge had been con- 
structed and the river had fallen so as to be fordable at a single point. 
Two corps crossed by the bridge, the other by the ford. The stream was 
still at high tide, and the men found much difficulty in stemming it ; but 
they linked arms, and thus interlaced and steadied, forded the river in 
mass, nearly shoulder deep, with the loss of but three men. 

The Union loss was 2,834 killed, 13,713 wounded, and 6,643 missing. 
The best estimates put the Confederate loss at 5,000 killed, 23,000 wounded, 
and 8,000 unwounded prisoners. 

The work of intering S.coo dead, and removing to comforeable quarters 
and caring for 20,000 wounded, was a herculean task. The Confederates 
had left most of their dead on the field as also a large number of their 
badly wounded. The number of surgeons was limited, although increased 
by volunteers from the North, and their task so great that it is narrated in 
some instances the operators had to be supported while performing the op- 
eration, and fainted from exhaustion when finished. 

The men were buried everywhere, when convenient in clusters of ten, 
twenty, fifty or more ; but so great was the number and such the advanced 
state of decomposition of those that had been dead for several days, that 
they could not be removed, and were buried in shght ditches, in the fields 
or gardens, or by the roadside, just where they were found. Some fields 
contained hundreds of these graves, and in one, in the vicinity of Little 
Round Top, four hundred Confederate soldiers were buried. . 

Soon after the battle a plot of seventeen acres of land, situated on Cem- 
etery Hill adjoining the village cemetery, the scene of some of the most 
terrific fighting, was purchased for a cemetery for the Union dead, the title 
of which was vested in the State of Pennsylvania in trust for all the States 
having dead buried there. In laying out the grounds a semi-circular form 

was adopted, the head of each body pointing towards a common centre 

the location of the monument. 

The work of disinterring and re-interring the Union dead was begun 
October 27, 1863, and completed in about five months. Many bodies then 



in unmarked graves were identified by means of papers, letters, photo- 
graphs, etc., and marks found on their clothing. More than 3,000 graves 
of Confederate soldiers were examined in this search. The Cemetery was 
dedicated Nov. 19, 1863. The oration was delivered by Edward Everett, 
and an address by President Lincoln. 

The following are the States represented and the number of their dead : 

Maine 104 Maryland 23 

New Hampshire 49 West Virginia 11 

Vermont 61 Ohio 131 

Massachusetts 158 Indiana 80 

Rhode Island 14 Illinois 6 

Connecticut 22 Michigan 175 

New York 867 Wisconsin 73 

New Jersey 78 Minnesota 56 

Pennsylvania 535 U. S. Regulars 139 

Delaware 15 Unknown 978 

Total .' 3,575. 



GEN. EARLY'S REQUISITION. 

On the afternoon of the 26th of June, General Early arrived in Gettys-: 
burg and made the following requisition on the borough authorities: 60 
barrels of flour ; 7,000 lbs, of poik or bacon ; 1,200 lbs. of sugar ; 600 lbs. 
of coffee; 1,000 lbs. of salt; 40 bushels of onions; 1,000 pairs of shoes; 
500 hats ; or ;f 10,000 in money. 

He was answered by Mr. D. Kendlehart, President of council, as fol-. 
lows: 

Gettysburg, June 26, 1863. 
General Early : 

Sir : — The authorities of the borough of Gettysburg, in answer to the 
demand made by you upon the said borough and county, say their author- 
ity extends but to the borough. That the requisition asked for, cannot be 
given, because it is utterly impossible to comply. The quantities required 
are far beyond that in our possession. In compliance, however, to the de- 
mands we will request the stores to be open and the citizens to furnish 
whatever they can of such provisions, etc., as may be asked. Further we 
cannot promise. 



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7 

By authority of the council of the borough of Gettysburg, I hereunto, 

as President of said Board, attach my name. 

D. KENDLEHART. 

General Early received orders to proceed to York that evening, and the 
requisition was not again asked for, [The original letter can be seen at 
Banner's Battle-field Museum, No, 23 Baltimore Street.] 



ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN. 

"Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this con- 
tinent a new nation, conceived m liberty, and dedicated to the proposition 
that all men are created equal. Now, we are engaged in a great civil war, 
testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, 
can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We 
have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place for 
those who here gave their lives that that nation might hve. It is altogether 
fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can- 
not dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow this ground. The 
brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far 
above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor 
long remember what we say here, but it never can forget what they did 
here. It is for us the Uving, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished 
work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly carried on. It is 
rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — 
that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for 
which they gave the last full measure of devotion ; that we here highly 
resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain ; that this nation, under 
God, shall have a new birth of freedom ; and that the government of the 
people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth." 



POINTS OF INTEREST. 

GETTYSBURG, 
The county seat of Adams County, is situated in a beautiful plain between 
two ridges — Seminary Ridge on the west, and Cemetery Hill on the south-, 
east — and lies in the middle of a district which, with its low hills and fer-| 
tile valleys, has been termed the Piedmont of the Atlantic water-shep, 
probably because it forms the foot of the South Mountains, between whitfh 
and the sea there are no other great elevations. The town was laid Aut 
about 1780, became the county seat of Adams in 1800, and was incorpora)- 
ted in 1807. It is nine miles north of the Maryland line, fifty-two mile's 
from Baltimore, one hundred and eighteen from Philadelphia, and thirty- 
five from Harrisburg. The population of Gettysburg is about 3,000. Get- 
tysburg is in direct railroad communication with Baltimore, via the Han- 
over and Baltimore Railroad, and with the East and West by way of the 
Hanover Junction road and the Fred, and Pa. Line branch of the Penn- 
sylvania. The Gettysburg and Harrisburg railroad is a shorter route from 
Harrisburg, Philadelphia and other points. 

ROUND TOP PARK. 

The Round Top Branch Railroad has been completed to Little Round 
Top, where a magnificent park has been laid out, which is rapidly being 
beautified and supplied with every comfort and convenience for the enjoy- 
ment of tourists and picnic parties. 

THE BATTLE AVENUE. 

The Battle-field Memorial Association have completed an avenue from 
Cemetery to Round Top, extending along the lines of battle of Pickett's 
Charge. 

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 

The Seminary of the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church 
in the United States, founded in 1826, is situated ^mile west of Gettysburg. 
From the cupulo of this building the gallant Buford directed the opening 
battle on the morning of July ist. 



REYNOLDS' PARK. 
This beautiful woods is situate a few hundred yards west of the Semi- 
nary. Here General Reynolds fell on the first day of the battle. The 
spot is marked by a large oak tree in the north-eastern corner of the woods. 

SPRINGS HOTEL. 
Gettysburg is becoming widely known for its mineral waters. The Ka- 
talysine Spring is located about i mile west of town, where a large hotel 
has been built, which is filled with guests during the summer months. 

PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE 
Is situate within the north-west limits of the borough, with Washington 
street passing between the College grounds proper and those of the Pre- 
paratory Department. The building is surmounted by an octagonal cu- 
pola, from which Lee directed the last day's fight. 

GULP'S HILL 
Is situated )^m\\e south-east of Cemetery Hill. Many of the trees that 
were shattered by bullets and shells can yet be seen on this hill. 

WADSWORTH'S FIELD WORKS. 
As you enter Gulp's Hill, on the left of the road can be seen the breast 
works made by Wadsworth's men. 

EVERGREEN CEMETERY. 
This Cemetery adjoins the National Cemetery and is the burying ground 
of the citizens of Gettysburg and surroundmg country. 

GEN. JAMES GETTYS' MONUMENT. 
As the visitor enters Evergreen Cemetery, and proceeds up the main av- 
enue a short distance, he will come to the monument of James Gettys, the 
founder of Gettysburg. 

NATIONAL MONUMENT. 
The National Monument is situate near the semi-circle of graves. It 
is of light grey granite, sixty feet high, twenty-five feet square at the base, 



10 

and is surmounted by a white marble statue of the Genius of Victory, 
holding in her right hand the victor's wreath, and clasping in her left the 
victorious sword. Four buttresses project from the angles of the pedestal 
supporting four allegorical figures representing war, history, peace and 

PLENTY. 

REYNOLDS' MONUMENT. 
The bronze statue of General Reynolds, who fell in the first day's fight, 
stands just inside of the entrance to the Cemetery. It is of semi-colossal 
size, mounted upon a pedestal of granite, and fronts upon the north. 

BATTLE-FIELD OBSERVATORY 
Was erected in 1878 on the high ground east of the National Cemetery, (a 
portion of the Memorial Park,) from which a grand view of the Battle- 
field can be obtained, including the town. Cemetery, Round Top, Gulp's 
Hill, Seminary Ridge and surrounding country for 15 or 20 miles. 

CODORI'S FARM. 
Upon this farm some of the most desperate fighting was done. It is sit- 
uate about I mile south of town, on the Emmitsburg road. 

ROUND TOP 
Is situated about 3 miles south of town, and is reached by the Emmitsburg 
or Taneytown roads. An observatory, higher than the surrounding trees^ 
has been erected on its top. 

POWERS' HILL. 
This hill is situated about i^ miles south of Gettysburg, on Baltimore 
pike. On the top of this hill General Slocum had his headquarters. 
COURT HOUSE. 
The present Court House, corner of Baltimore and Middle streets, was 
built in 1858-9 at a cost of ^17,000. A shell exploded in the cupola on 
the second day of the battle. 

HOUSE IN WHICH JENNIE WADE WAS KILLED. 
The house in which resided Miss Jennie Wade, the only woman killed 



II 

during the battle, is situate on an elevated piece of ground on the left hand 
side of Baltimore street, near the National Cemetery. 

JOHN BURNS' RESIDENCE. 
Situate at the extreme end of Chambcrsburg street, is the house where 
the "hero of Gettysburg" lived. The following extract is from an article 
by VV. H. Tipton : "On the memorable ist of July, '63, at the commence- 
ment of the battle of Gettysburg, John Burns, then past 70 years of age 
and a citizen of this place, inspired by the spirit of true patriotism, shoul- 
dered his trusty rifle, and went out to meet the enemy, who were within a 
short distance of town in the direction of Chambersburg, entering the ranks 
of a Wisconsin regiment. In the early part of the engagement he was 
wounded twice, and although suffering from his wounds, he faltered not, 
but, like the heroes of olden times, passed on eager for the combat, in 
which he took an active part, until near four o'clock, P. M., when he fell 
badly wounded by a ball in the ankle. Soon after his fall the Federal 
army retreated, leaving him upon the field within the enemy's lines, where 
he lay until the following morning." John Burns died a few years after 
the battle and lies buried in Evergreen Cemetery. 

McCLELLAN'S OPERA HOUSE, 
Erected in 1879 by Col. J. H. McClellan, is a large brick structure, situate 
on the north-east corner of centre square. It has a seating capacity of 
400 to 500. 

MEADE'S HEADQUARTERS. 
Situate about ^ mile south of Gettysburg, on the Taneytown road. It 
was a small farm house on the right hand side of the road, but has since 
been remodeled. 

LEE'S HEADQUARTERS. 
Lee occupied as his headquarters the stone house on the north side of 
the Chambersburg pike, about % mile west of town. It is also near the 
place where General Reynolds fell. 



TABLETS. 
Memorial Tablets marking important positions held by various com- 
mands, and where a number of officers fell during the battle, have been 
erected on the field. A Tablet marking the spot where Col. Fred. Taylor 
fell while commanding the ist Penn'a Reserves, is opposite Round Top, 
near the Devil's Den. The tablets marking the spots where Gen. S. K. 
Zook, 3rd Brigade 2nd Corps, Lieut. Col. H. C. Marvin and Capt. Jed 
Chapman, 26th Conn. Vol., fell, will be found along the road leading from 
the Emmitsburg road to Round Top. The tablet erected to Gen. Strong 
Vincent is on Little Round Top. A handsome tablet marks the place 
where the 2nd Mass. Vol. Infantry made an assault upon the Confederates 
on July 3rd. The regiment carried into the charge 22 officers, 294 enlisted 
men. It lost 5 officers and 41 m.en, and 5 officers and 84 men were wounded. 
The tablet is at the east base of Gulp's Hill, near Spangler's Spring. In 
the rear of the Observatory is a memorial placed by Battery B, commanded 
by Ricketts, while north of the Observatory, nearer town, is one to 106 Pa. 

Vol. 

During July, '83, the 72nd P. Vol. erected a handsome granite tablet 

to mark their position on the avenue, as did also the 91st P. V., on Little 
Round Top. The 88th P. V. erected three smaller stones to mark their 
positions on each day of the battle, one on Seminary Ridge, one in Zieg- 
ler's Grove, and one on the avenue near where Hancock was wounded. 
July ist, '84, the 17th Conn, unveiled a massive granite tablet on Barlow's 
Knoll, on the afternoon of same day, the 27th and 153rd P. V. erected tab- 
lets, the former on and the latter at base of East Cemetery HiU. The 
124th N. Y. V. dedicated a fine granite statue of Col. Ellis, in rear of Dev- 
il's Den, on the morning of July 2nd, and the 14th Conn, a granite tablet 
on afternoon of July 3rd. Additional tablets will be erected during the 
summer. 



[These tablets, as well as every other point of interest on the "field'' 
have been photographed by W. H. Tipton, and can be had at his Gallery 
on Chambersburg street, or at J. A. Danner's Battle-field Museum, Balti- 
more street.] 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




Is producing at his Gallery, 5 Chambersburg St., Photographs 
in all the Popular Styles of Exquisite Finish. 

TIPTON'S VIEWS OF THE BATTLEFIELD 

Are a complete set of Fine Views, covering every point of in- 
terest on this immense Battlefield. 




If you desire a View of National Cemetery or any other part of 

the "Field," or a photograph taken as a souvenir of 

your visit to Gettysburg, go to No. 5 

Chambersburg street, and see 

Write for any views you want of the Field. 



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